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I know how it feels to enter the overwhelming world of blogging. There are so many decisions to make about what resources to use for your blog. That’s why today, I will be sharing the only 10 blogging resources you will ever need. Hopefully, I will be able to clear some things up for you and help you make decisions when it comes to what resources to use.
Before we begin, if you are looking to start a successful blog in 2021 from scratch, I have a post that walks you through the exact steps.
1. Bluehost
Bluehost is the web-hosting platform I use for my blog, and I have to say, I could not be happier with my decision. Bluehost is an extremely popular and reliable hosting platform that is super affordable and easy to use.
Their payment plans start at $2.95 a month. Even though I have been using them ever since I started my blog, I still can’t believe how low their prices are.
That said, low prices don’t mean anything if the quality is not as good. But I am here to tell you that you can trust Bluehost. I have never had any problems with my hosting and their support team is always ready to answer any of my questions, no matter how big or small they may be, which might be one of my favorite features.
On the home page of their website (shown above), they have a chat tab, which you can use to get ahold of one of their staff members. I have used this feature several times, at all hours of the day, and each time I went into a chat with one of their employees, my questions have been answered and my problem solved within 10 minutes. Every single time.
As you can see, I have nothing but good things to say about Bluehost. But if you need more information about this web host, or want a couple more opinions, there are several detailed reviews.
2. 17th Avenue Designs
As far as blog and website themes go, 17th Avenue Designs have an abundance of affordable, beautifully designed, and easy-to-use themes.
I first heard of this company through Sophia Lee, a successful blogger and the creator of By Sophia Lee (a college and lifestyle blog). Once I found out that she was using a theme from 17th Avenue Designs, I hopped over to their website and found the theme I wanted for my blog.
I chose the “charlotte” theme, which is a feminine and stylish theme that I believed was perfect for my blog, and I still do. That being said, I have seen a ton of bloggers use the “Mia” theme as it is very easy to customize and has several different layout options.
Before you pick a theme out for your blog, make sure you know all the details about what’s included and how customizable it is, because some have more layout options than others.
3. Pinterest (Business Account)
I know this one might be obvious to some of you, but Pinterest will be your best friend when it comes to marketing your blog. With over 4 million users on Pinterest looking for inspiration, helpful information, and things to buy, it is the optimal place for bloggers to reach their target audience ( ).
While I use other sources to bring in traffic, Pinterest is by far my #1 traffic source. So for all those beginners and experienced bloggers out there who don’t already have a Pinterest business account, I highly suggest you take 10 minutes to set one up for your blog. And don’t worry, it’s totally free.
If you need help setting up the optimal Pinterest business account for your blog, this step-by-step guide will help you through the process.
Note: Make sure you set up a Pinterest Business Account, not just the regular account. The business account will allow you to see analytics, which the average account doesn’t allow.
4. Google Analytics
Google Analytics is another free resource I use for my blog. Basically, it allows you to track the number of visitors on your blog. But, that’s not the only thing it can do. Google Analytics has a ton of amazing features that help you analyze your audience to understand them the best.
While this resource may not be the easiest to set up (there are a ton of tutorials), it is well worth it. Pinterest will claim that a certain number of people have clicked your pin to visit your website, yet that number is not always accurate and often isn’t.
That said, Google Analytics is your best bet when it comes to tracking pageviews, audience behavior, and conversions.
5. Canva Pro
Canva is my holy grail, I seriously don’t know what I would do without them. This resource is what I use to create all of my Pinterest pins, all the graphics for my blog, freebies, and so much more. This platform is extremely easy to use and has so many resources.
Now, there are two versions of Canva, the free version and the “Pro” version. I started out with the free version for my first couple months of blogging.
Then I decided to give Canva Pro a try. So, I signed up for the free trial and took it for a spin. I quickly fell in love with the “Pro” version, and I have used it ever since.
While I believe Canva Pro is 100% worth it and super affordable, I suggest starting with the free version and then maybe upgrading later on.
With the free version, you will be able to see what you would get if you had Canva Pro. For example, in the fonts section, there are hundreds of options to choose from, but some of them will have a golden crown next to them. That means you will only be able to access them with Canva Pro.
Remember, you can upgrade at any time. So start with the free version and see how you like it. That way you aren’t jumping into another payment plan, at least not right away.
6. Flodesk
Out of all the email providers I have used (almost all of them):
- Convertkit
- Mailchimp
- Mailerite
Flodesk has been my favorite by far. Their platform is super simple and user-friendly, which I greatly appreciate. They also have tons of well-designed templates that make email marketing so much easier. I don’t know why the other email marketing platforms make it more complicated.
While I was listening to a blogging podcast one day (Blogging Unscripted), the host Danielle Gervino could not recommend Flodesk enough. She said she had switched over from Mailchimp to Flodesk and she was super happy with her decision.
To be honest, I didn’t want to have to deal with switching providers, so I just stayed with Mailchimp. That is, until one day I started having problems with the platform.
So, I went over to the Flodesk website and did some research. So many people were raving about this email provider, so I started my 30-day free trial and tested it out. You probably already know what the outcome was since I am promoting them in this post. But yes, I decided that Flodesk would be my new email provider.
And like Danielle, I am extremely happy that I switched!
If you are intrested in purchasing a membership with Flodesk, my affiliate link will give you 50% off your purchase. So instead of paying $400 a year, you would be paying $200 a year.
7. Legal Templates
While all the other blogging resources I mentioned in this post are extremely helpful and important for a successful blog, there are certain legal pages YOU NEED to have on your blog. Without these legal pages, you could get in a lot of trouble and possibly sued.
I was actually just about to start my own blog when I read a “blogging resources” post and realized that I needed to purchase legal pages.
So after reading several more blog posts about the legal side of blogging, I decided that I would purchase these legal necessities through Amira at aselfguru.com, as her products were highly praised and recommended by a lot of successful bloggers.
While I wanted to make sure that my blog was completely legal, I also didn’t want to break the bank doing so. Luckily, Amira has 3 different legal bundles. I bought the “Starter Legal Bundle” which has the absolute essential pages for a fairly new blogger, which I was.
This bundle included the 3 legal policies every blog needs + 9 bonuses. It is exactly what every starting blogger needs. That being said, as you advance as a blogger and start partnering with brands, there will be some more legal pages that you need to have on your blog, which is where the individual pages that Amira sells come in handy.
If you didn’t want to have to purchase more legal pages in the future, the Premium and VIP bundles might be something you are interested in.
That said, I know that when I was starting my blog, there were already a ton of other expenses I had to cover. So, I didn’t want to spend any money that I didn’t have to. The Starter Bundle was my best bet, as it had exactly what I needed and came at an affordable price.
Ultimately, it’s up to you. But it’s always nice to know that you have options.
8. WP Rocket
WP Rocket is my most recent purchase. Even though I followed all of the recommendations that Google Pagespeed gave me, my actual page speed for my blog was still really bad. I could not figure out how to speed up my blog for the life of me.
I knew that my bad page speed was resulting in losing readers and a harder time with SEO. Basically I was losing a lot of readers because nobody wanted to wait 12 seconds for my page to load. Honestly, I don’t blame them.
So, after a ton of frustration and error, I finally came upon WP Rocket.
I had no prior knowledge of this company. Yet within a couple of hours, I was purchasing an annual membership. Now, I am not usually the type of person to fly off the seat of my pants and make quick decisions like this. But, I had a good feeling about WP Rocket, and I was really desperate.
The setup was super simple and very quick. Within a couple of minutes, my blog was taking just over a second to load. So, you could imagine my happiness when one of my biggest problems disappeared within a matter of minutes.
The only thing you have to keep up with is the updates, which happen about once a week and only take a few seconds.
If you are looking to speed up your website, I highly, highly recommend WP Rocket. Trust me, it will make a world of difference for your blog (for a very good price).
And for whatever reason, if you don’t like WP Rocket or don’t find a ton of value in it, you can always get a full refund within 14 days of your purchase.
9. Styled Stock Society
Styled Stock Society is my favorite feminine stock photo site. They offer beautifully designed photos and templates that help you brand your company in a well-designed fashion.
Trust me, stock photos are one of the most important resources when it comes to blogging because it’s all about being visually appealing and aesthetic.
From Instagram posts, to Pinterest pins, to the content in your blog posts, a stock photo membership like this one will be your best friend, as it will save you so much time, energy, and money in the long run.
Additionally, beautiful stock photos and templates like the ones Styled Stock Society offers will help you create a put-together brand (a crucial step in becoming a successful blogger).
As far as the membership plans go, I personally think the best option is the one-time payment. It may seem like a lot of money at first (which it is), but then you don’t have to worry about paying a yearly or even monthly bill.
Plus the one-time payment plan is the same price as two one-year payments. So essentially, you are saving money.
Here are some other feminine stock photo sites that I love:
- Haute Stock
- Ivory Stock
- Canva Pro
Final Thoughts
There are so many blogging resources out there, it can be hard to figure out which ones will work for you best. But hopefully, this post gave you a little more clarity, especially if you are just starting your blogging journey. If you have any questions, recommendations, or would just like to say hi, I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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